Telecoupled Groundwaters: New Ways to Investigate Increasingly De-Localized Resources

Abstract

Groundwater is essential for drinking water provision and food production while hosting unique biodiversity and delivering key ecosystem services. However, overexploitation and contamination are prevailing threats in many regions worldwide. Even integrated governance schemes like the European Union Water Framework Directive often fail to ensure good quality and quantity conditions of groundwater bodies. Contributing factors are knowledge gaps on groundwater characteristics, limited financial, staff and land resources, as well as policy incoherencies. In this paper, we go further and argue that current groundwater challenges cannot be understood when considering the local situation within hydrologic boundaries only. New long-distance processes are at stake—so called telecouplings—that transgress watershed and administrative boundaries and significantly influence the state of local groundwater bodies. We provide three literature-based examples of European groundwater systems that are impacted by telecouplings, and we show how research and solution perspectives may change when acknowledging the de-localization of groundwater(s). We elaborate on virtual water trade, remote water supply, and seasonal tourist flows that connect sending, receiving and spillover systems. These processes can induce groundwater depletion and contamination but may also help to conserve the resource. Our hypothesis calls for a new spatial paradigm to groundwater management and highlights the need for transdisciplinary research approaches as envisioned in socio-hydrogeology.

A shared future: chemistry's engagement is essential for resilience of people and planet

“…Intricate and complex interconnections among water-dependent systems—including those involved with vegetation and soil, run-off, transpiration and atmospheric rivers—have implications within and far beyond localities and contribute to planet-wide phenomena. For example, long-distance processes called telecouplings significantly influence the state of local groundwater bodies, with implications for water security [62].…”

Tracing and Tracking Residential Water Consumption in Adama City, Ethiopia: Coupling Geospatial and Socioeconomic Analysis for Water-Sensitive Intervention Decision-Making Support

“…Today local water sources that sustain urban centers are increasingly stressed (McDonald et al, 2014). The growing water stress emanates from various backgrounds such as relaying on remote water supply systems than searching for exible and alternative sources (Luetkemeier et al, 2021), the conception of water as a non-limited natural resource and 'only one option' water supply system that is 'one system' and 'one source' syndrome (UN-Water,2021), unwise water conservation and saving practices (Wang et al, 2016), ignoring internal alternative water source harvesting systems following the linearity of urban water ows and lack proactive water-centric planning and management practices (Leigh &Lee, 2019 andLiku et al, 2021). According to some shocking predictions made today, water demand will rise by 55% by 2050 as a result of a 400% increase in manufacturing and a 130% increase in domestic water use(Save The Water, 2019).…”